Taylor Raddysh played his Minor Midget hockey for the Toronto Marlboros where he scored 21 goals and added 6 assists in 31 games which led him to being a first round selection of the Otters in the 2014 Priority Selection.

During his rookie season, Raddysh appeared in 58 games scoring 21 goals and adding 6 assists and contributed 3 goals and 3 assists in 19 playoff games as the Otters went on to the OHL finals only to lose to the Oshawa Generals. He also played in 5 games for Canada White at the World Hockey Challenge-U17 where he contributed a single assist.

Throughout his career, Raddysh’s stats would suggest he’s a goal scorer first. But do his 6 goals and 21 assists in 17 games to date this season suggest that he’s turned into a playmaker first?

On the contrary.

Raddysh is one of those players that can do a little bit of everything and whatever the coaching staff asks of him. He’s a student of the game and willing to learn.

At 6’2” and 200 pounds, Raddysh has good size and is an above average skater. He has an elusiveness where he can slip away from coverage unnoticed and putting himself in prime scoring areas. He can play a 200 foot game, come back hard on the back check and rarely misses his defensive responsibilities in his own zone.

He’s also an effective forechecker, able to dump and chase using smarts to put the puck in where he can retrieve it and use his skating to get on top of defensemen and deliver a hard and sometimes punishing hit.

Raddysh has above average puck handling skills. He can carry the puck with ease at top speed and make a play on the rush. He has an excellent shot with a very good release and delivers it with accuracy.

NHL Central Scouting has Raddysh as a B prospect on their September list of players to watch – which typically means a second or third round pick. My opinion as of now is that he’ll be an early second rounder.